Hagel says that without an agreement the U.S. will have no clear understanding of what the Afghan people want, what an acceptable role for U.S. forces will be or how to carry out that mission.

Afghan leaders are meeting to consider a new security pact with the U.S., but President Hamid Karzai says he wants to wait until the elections next spring so his successor could sign the agreement. Hagel and other U.S. officials say it has to be signed by the end of this year.

Hagel was speaking to reporters before the start of a security forum here.